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Beard Of The Day – June 12th – Tom Petty

By Matthew Killion 2095 0

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Tom Petty is proof that not everything that comes from Florida is terrible. Or maybe he’s just the exception that proves the rule. Petty had minor success with a few bands before forming The Heartbreakers and started to gain popularity with a few small albums. It would be their third album Damn The Torpedos though that broke everything open for Tom Petty and his band. This is one of the albums that’s so good it almost counts as a Greatest Hits collection.

Petty would enjoy strong success for a decade after and toured extensively and decided to form a new side project with a few friends he met along the way…  Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison and Roy Orbison. You know, no big deal.
Anyways, if 2010 never happened, I’d feel slightly uncomfortable posting this song. But the dream came true a few summers ago. And we’re on our way again.

And, as our Ombudsman says “Hockey is like Tom Petty. Life is just better when that’s in it.” Indeed.

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Morning Links (Finals: Game 1)

By Joe DeTolve 1205 0

Here’s to hoping Sam has to write another one!

This is stupid: Chicago Tribune

Hawks once again to face “an all world goalie” CSN Autoplay

But they will be important: Cheer The Anthem

New History for Old Rivalry: Mr. Verdi

Hopefully Fro-Yo can contain himself: PuckDaddy

Education for the unwashed masses: Globe and Mail

From the ghosts of 2010:Suntimes

Hopefully our Governor will be drunk again reading proclamations on Michigan Ave: Daily Herald

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Not In Rivers, But In Drops – Previewing The Bruins Special Teams

By Matt McClure 1430 0

In 2011, the Bruins won their Stanley Cup with a lockdown penalty kill, and a power play that bordered on comically bad. Stop me if this sounds uncomfortably familiar. Finding no reason to fix what isn’t (totally) broken, the Bruins are on much the same trajectory as they were two years ago, though the Blackhawks certainly should not take that as a cue to tempt fate by marching to the box as they have to this point in the post season. Furthermore, the Hawks finding a way to somehow take advantage of the Bruins’ penalty kill will go a long way toward mitigating the physical liberties Boston will no doubt plan on taking.

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Here Comes Your Man: Previewing The Bruin's Goalie – Tuukka Rask

By 1242 0

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins

 

I suppose time will tell if there was something in the Hawks game that got to Jonathan Quick, or if the star goalie simply had a string of bad games at the worst possible time for LA. There seemingly wasn’t a lot the Hawks did to rattle Quick other than find ways to beat him. And Duncan Keith’s goal to open the scoring on Saturday is still pretty baffling to me. Either way, the Blackhawks were facing perhaps the best goalie in the league coming in at damn near the top of his game and they found a way to beat him.

They’ll need to find whatever charm they used in the WCF and bottle it to save over the next few games because it looks like they’re going to have to do it all over again as they face the young Finn Tuukka Rask.

Everything Else

Here Comes Your Man: Previewing The Bruin’s Goalie – Tuukka Rask

By Matthew Killion 1393 0

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins

 

I suppose time will tell if there was something in the Hawks game that got to Jonathan Quick, or if the star goalie simply had a string of bad games at the worst possible time for LA. There seemingly wasn’t a lot the Hawks did to rattle Quick other than find ways to beat him. And Duncan Keith’s goal to open the scoring on Saturday is still pretty baffling to me. Either way, the Blackhawks were facing perhaps the best goalie in the league coming in at damn near the top of his game and they found a way to beat him.

They’ll need to find whatever charm they used in the WCF and bottle it to save over the next few games because it looks like they’re going to have to do it all over again as they face the young Finn Tuukka Rask.

Everything Else

Beard Of The Day – June 11th – Kristofer Hivju

By Matthew Killion 1778 0

got-game-of-thrones-34505706-972-475If you were going to be one of the leaders among the Free Folk north of The Wall, it probably helps to have one gigantic kickass beard. And while in the books, I believe Tormund Giantsbane is supposed to be older with a large white beard, I give all the credit in the world to Benioff and Weiss for casting the Norwegian actor Kristofer Hivju in the role of Tormund. I know that some of you haven’t seen all of the episodes yet (shame on you) and probably more haven’t read all the books (That I can understand… I’m still on the 5th book anyway) so I won’t go into the full details of Tormund’s story.

Hivju himself seems to have adopted this impressive beard as a lifelong companion. My guess is he was probably to grow this thing around the age of 5. I’ve only ever seen Hivju in one role outside of Game of Thrones, in the 2011 remake of The Thing. (It’s OK. The original is better and one of my favorite horror movies of all time. The remake does have Mary Elizabeth Winstead in it though… so that alone makes it instantly watchable). My guess is after his role in Game Of Thrones we’ll start to see him in far more roles… at least I hope so.

 

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Bright Light Fright: The Boston Bruins Blue Line

By Sam Fels 2031 0

Thar be monsters here.

While we highlighted the Kings unpleasant nature on defense, the Bruins bring that and more. This is a group of men who look like they belong in a bar brawl somewhere and try to turn their zone into one. But they also come with some of the warts that the Kings had as well, just not as large.

There’s no point in going any further without talking about the 6-9-sized problem on the top pairing, and that’s Zdeno Chara. This could be the biggest difference (ha ha) between what the Hawks just saw and what they’re about to see. While the Kings’ #1 d-man Drew Doughty is a great player, he can be erratic and wild and reckless at times. The Hawks got to take advantage of that. They will get no such breaks with Chara on the ice.

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You're Living All Over Me – Previewing The Bruins Forwards

By 1340 0

After dispatching the defending champion Kings on Saturday, the Hawks’ attention now turns east, where they will now take on the other most recent champion in the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final.

There were many concerns about the Kings’ size and forechecking ability against the Hawk defensive corps, but those now seem quite trivial when looking at the team that perfected what the Kings did the year before, and are replicating it this post season with even more offensive flair. The Bruins forwards are large, angry, fast, and unlike the Kings, can finish and have been doing so with ease and frequency.

Everything Else

You’re Living All Over Me – Previewing The Bruins Forwards

By Matt McClure 1439 0

After dispatching the defending champion Kings on Saturday, the Hawks’ attention now turns east, where they will now take on the other most recent champion in the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final.

There were many concerns about the Kings’ size and forechecking ability against the Hawk defensive corps, but those now seem quite trivial when looking at the team that perfected what the Kings did the year before, and are replicating it this post season with even more offensive flair. The Bruins forwards are large, angry, fast, and unlike the Kings, can finish and have been doing so with ease and frequency.